Flake ice making machine and water distributor for use therein



1956 w. E, LAUTERBACH 2,758,451

FLAKE 1cm MAKING MACHINE AND WATER DISTRIBUTOR FOR USE THEREIN Filed May 14, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 1& 1/

/LL/AM E. LAUTERBACH ATTORNEYS Aug. 14, 1956 w. E. LAUTERBACH 2,758,451

FLAKE ICE MAKING MACHINE AND WATER DISTRIBUTOR FOR USE THEREIN Filed May 14, 1953 2 hams-Sheet 2 I/VI/E/VTOH W/LL/AM E. LAUTERBACH B) m yMd/zp ATTORNEYS United States Pat o FLAKE ICE MAKING MACHINE AND WATER DISTRIBUTOR FOR USE THEREIN William E. Lauterbach, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Akshun Manufacturing Company, Chicago, Ill.,, a corporation of Illinois Application May 14, 1953, Serial No. 354,931

12 Claims. (Cl. 62-106) dition, be capable of operating without clogging from contaminations or from the formation of ice.

In one form of flake ice making machine, water is flowed on the inner face of a refrigerated cylinder to'form ice thereon. harvesting means rotateswithin the cylinder to dislodge ice along a moving element of the cylinder. The resultant dislodged ice falls in flakes into a suitable ice collecting container.

in accordance with the present invention, the Water is flowed on the upper edge of the freezing cylinder by 2,758,45i Patented Aug. 14,195

, elevation of a flake ice making machine constructedin A rotor carrying knives or other suitable an umbrella-like cap or water distributing pan unit carried by the rotor and extending to a lip closely adjacent the wall of the freezing cylinder. The cap has a hub portion that seats on the rotor and a wall outboard of the hub to define a water storage container. Water flows over the wall to cascade down the umbrella or conical part to discharge at the face of the freezing cylinder. The

umbrella part of the cap has a fence extending about the region over the ice harvesting means to arrest water flow thereover. In accordance with further features of the present invention, the various parts of the mechanism are periodically wiped to assure production of dry flake ice and to arrest the growth of ice deposits.

It is, therefore, a general object of the present invention to provide an improved flake ice making machine.

Further, it is an object of the present invention to pro accordance with the present invention; v

Figure 2 is an venlarged fragmentary portion of Figure 1 taken along section 2--2, Figure 1; n

Figure 3 is a view in perspective of the water distributor of the mechanism of Figure 1; j I

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view through axis 44, Figure 3;

Figure 5 is an enlarged axial fragmentary cross-sectional view showing an alternate support for the water distributing mechanism; and v Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view through axis 6--6, Figure 5.

There is shown in Figure 1 an evaporator cylinder 10 having an inner wall 10a and an outer'wall 10b defining an annular space in conjunction with the bottom ring 100 and the top ring 10d. Refrigerant 12 is supplied to the annular space thus formed by suitable means (not shown) and evaporates therein to maintain the inner wall 10a below water-freezing temperature. As is described in further detail hereafter, water is flowed onto this surface and the resultant ice dislodged to form ice flakes.

The freezing cylinder 10 is suitably supported by the frame 14 which has a series of radially extending spider arms 140: which terminate in a housing I 1412 at their center portions. This housing may be any suitable thrust bearing support housing. In the particular form shown, it carries a sleeve bearing liner 16a and a thrust bearing 16b, which in turn support the rotor 18. j

The rotor 18 consists of a center shaft 18a which is sustained in vertical position by the upper sleeve hearing 20. This bearing is supported by the roof 22 carried by the freezing cylinder 10. This roofhas a suitable access door 22a and may, if desired, include suitable ele ments (not shown) to permit the ready disassembly of the unit. The shaft 18a has a splined socket part 18b which receives the splined shaftzda of the speed reducer 24 which is driven by motor 26. This mechanism turns the rotor at a very low rate to harvest or dislodge the ice as described in further detail'hereafter.

Shaft 18a carries a radially extending vertical plate 180 as is shown in Figures 1 and 2. This plate is welded to the shaft as shown and terminates in a vertical edge vide an improved flake ice making machine wherein the ice is not contaminated with water either during normal operations or during start up or shut down. I

Additionally, the objects of the present invention include the provision of an improved flake ice making machine that is sanitary, easily disassembled for cleaning, free from freezing, characterized by a uniform water supply to the freezing cylinder, and inherently simple 'in structure and in operation.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide an improved flake ice making machine in which the growth of ice deposits is prevented by action.

The novel features which I believe to be characteristic of the present invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. both as to its construction and as to further objects and advantages thereof will best be understood by reference to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

periodic wiping My invention itself, however,

Figure 1 is an axial cross-sectional view with parts in spaced from the inner jacket ltla. At its outer end, this plate threadedly receives a plurality of bolts Zita which support the knife-defining bars 28. The bolts 28a are loosely received by the bars 28 so that these bars may be moved to a limited extent in the radial direction to provide the most effective clearance between the knives and the inner face of the evaporator 10. This adjustment is facilitated by the use of adjusting bolts 2% which are threadedly received in the support bar 29, the latter being welded to the plate 18c. Set nuts 2% prevent loosening of thebolts 29a.

The blades 28b are defined by the bar 28. This bar is of thickness corresponding to the desired circumferential extent of the blades and is of material suitable for the blades. The individual blade elements 28b are formed by milling out the bar 28 to form the separate blade blanks and then machining the outer edges of the individual blade blanks as required to form the desiredice harvesting edges. Preferably, the blades are given a slight tilt so.that they tend to lift the ice and urge the rotor downwardly.

, A pair of vertically spaced arms 30 are aflixed to plate by the bolts 30a, these being threadedly received in plate 180. The arms 39 are bolted or otherwise attached to the vertically extending bar 32, which carries a flexible wiper or squeegee member 33. This squeegee bears against the face of the inner jacket 10a to wipe the freezing surface dry in advance assure completely dry ice.

Water is flowed onto the inner face of inner wall a by the cap or water distributing pan shown generally at 34. This cap consists ofa central hub 36, Figures 1 and 2, which seats slidably on the shaft 18a and rests on the annular shoulder 18d formed in the upper part of that shaft. The hub 36 receives an annular bottom plate 35, Figure 1, which has an opening a through which the lock pin 36 extends. This pin is received in a suitable vertical bore 182 in the plate 180 to anchor the pan 34 for rotation with, shaft 18. The pin 36 is held in vertical position by the tab 36:: which'has a suitable opening to receive the pin.

The cap 34 has a conical umbrella portion 38 which extends radially downwardly and outwardly, as shown. The cap extends with little or no downward tilt within the confines of the cylindrical wall 40 and then tilts downwardly at a relatively small slope. At its radially outward extremities 38a the conical portion 38 of the cap has a region of sharper slope which terminates at lip 38b which is closely spaced to the inner surface of the inner wall or jacket 10a. The conical or umbrella portion 38 forms an annular throat of small thickness or cross-sectional area with respect to the inner face of the inner wall 10a and the inner face of insulating gasket 42 which is contiguous with the inner face of wall 10a. Gasket 42 is of neoprene or other suitable heat insulating material.

of the knives 28b and thus Water is supplied to the container defined by wall 40 by the use of a suitably mounted stationary pipe 60, Figure wall 40 to drain completely when shut down occurs, so

that when the unit is subsequently started only new, fresh water is used. This'hole is made sufficiently small so that the normal operation of the machine is not affected.

The above described flake ice making machine is characterized by a highly uniform water flow onto the inner face of wall 1011. This water flow occurs without splashing and without ripples and is uniformly distributed over the face of the wall. As a consequence a thin uniform sheet of water is made available for freezing into ice flakes, which are accordingly of uniform thickness and all have a full opportunity to freeze to a complete dry state before the flake ice harvest means dislodges them from the wall 10a. Since the flow of water onto the umbrella portion 38 of the cap 34 is controlled by the weir action of the wall 40 and by the rate of water input The cylindrical wall 40 has a series of notches 40a which extend downwardly from its upper lip, as shown;

The lowermost reaches of these notches are at a corrmaon elevation above the base of the wall as shown. Water supplied to the containerv formed by the wall 40 overflows over the bottom edges of these notches which act as weirs and thence flows to the conical faces-of the umbrella part 38. Water thus flows downwardly and radially outwardly in expanding streams to the small annular gap between inner wall 10a and the lip 38b to form ice on theinuer face of wall 10a.

The water flow onto the wall 10a-is interrupted in the region adjacent the knives 28b, This interruption is achieved by the generally triangular walls 44, Figure 3, and by the arcuate wall 45. Together these'walls' form a fence through which the water cannot pass and extending entirely about the region of knives 28b. Thewall 45 is preferably formed as an integral portion of thecylindrical wall 40. Walls 44, are preferably welded to the wall 40 on their vertical portions and to the edges 380 of the umbrella portion 38 along their sides. It will be observed that water flowing through the notches 40a cannot flow in any circumferential direction so as to fall into any part of the segmental space defined by walls 44, 45, and 44, and the inner face of wall 10a. Thus the fall of water over. the freezing surface is arrested prior to the time the knives 28b harvest the ice. Theflow continues to be cut off'until some time after the knives have traversedeach point on the faceof wall 10a, thus assuring production of dry ice uncontaminated by water flow. Since the squeegee 33 wipes the ice dry in advance of the knives 28b, the ice is dry and well belowfreezing temperature before it is harvested.

A deflector 46, Figure 1, in the form-of a fragment of a cone is positioned below the knives 28b and is supported by arms 48, 48a, and 48b, from the plate 18c. These through pipe 60, a highly uniform water supply is achieved. The relatively long distance over which the water'flows down the conical face 38 causes the water, which flows over the wall 40 in rivulets, to merge and form a circumferentially uniform sheet by the time the outer extreme of the umbrella portion 38 is reached.

The rather gradual slope of the portion 38 of the cap 34 aids in creating the circumferentially uniform water flow, since the water can flow in the circumferential direction much more easily with thecone of small slope. The portion 3811, having a greater slope, tends to impart great velocity to the water flow and, in addition, forms a throat 39, Figure 1, which actually fills with water during normal operation of the machine, although it is not essential that this action occur. This is due to the small radial extent of this throat, which in a machine actually constructed was made .060 inch.

Moreover, the slots 40a and the slope of unit 34 minimize the effects of machine tilt since small degrees of tilt do not alter the water flow over them. It is accordingly unnecessary to level the machine of the present invention with the same degree of exactness as has been heretofore required. It will also be noted that the substantial slope of the under side of the portion 38a of the water distributor prevents any tendency of the water to travel radially back or inwardly on the under side by reason of capillary attraction. This prevents ice contamination by such water.

The machine above described has been found to be very easily cleaned and free from clogging. The interior can best be cleaned by lifting the pin 36 and rotating the water distributor cap to enable the user to reach or climb down into any part of the machine.

The machine of the present invention has proven considerably more effective than machines in which water is supplied by orifices. These inherently drip during start up and shut down because the orifices produce a spray only when operating with the requisite head. The resulting drip tends to fall into the ice and thus contaminate it with water. Also, orifices clog easily and are difiicult to clean.

It will be noted that the squeegee 33 bears on-and hence wipes-a complete element of the inner face 10a. Thus the entire vertical extent of the face 10a is wiped clean at. a. fixed time before the knives arrive. This assures a uniform degree of dryness of the ice even though some time is required for the .water to flow from the topv edge of the. face 10a down to the bottom. In

. 5 c'al plate 70 which receives a somewhat heavier plate 70a at its outer extreme. Plates 70 and 70a coact with the plate 180 to form a vertical chute down which the harvested ice flakes fall. This chute minimizes any tendency of the ice flakes to fly about and fall into gutter G.

I have discovered that ice crystals tend to grow at the junction of the inner jacket a and the insulating gasket 72, located at the base of the machine. This ice formation requires cleaning with the consequent machine outages and inconvenience. This cleaning is rendered unnecessary by the wiper arm 74 attached to the lower edge of the knife-bar 28. This arm extends to proximity with the gasket 72 and 'wipes all excess ice crystals which form thereon. Since this wiping action occurs once for each rotation of the shaft 18, it occurs periodically at frequent intervals and the ice crystals never have an opportunity to build up greatly.

The deflector 46, which also tends to have accumulations of ice is likewise wiped by the fixed radial horizontal bolt 76 and by the tilted bar 78, the former being attached to the base plate 140 of the support frame and the latter being attached to the spider arm 14a. When the deflector 46 travels past bolt 76 and bar 78, most of its face is wiped free of ice and any upwardly extending ice formations are dislodged. This action-which occurs once each time the rotor rotates-prevents ice accumulation on the deflector. I

Figures 5 and 6 show an alternative method of mount ing the cap 34. With this arrangement the shaft 18 has a pair of ears'118a protruding above the shoulder 18d. The hub 136 of the cap 34 has a pair of slots to receive these ears, thus anchoring the cap 34 against rotation in relation to the shaft 18. A spring detent 100 is mounted in the shaft 18. When it is desired to free the cap 34 for rotation in relation to the shaft, this detent is pushed in and the cap 34 lifted until the detent rides in the groove 136a formed on the inner face of hub 136.

The pan or cap unit 34 may, if desired, be of cast or similar construction. It may also be of part cast construction and part fabricated. Moreover, if desired, the 7 wall 44, Figure 3, may be made separate from the wall 40. If the pan or cap 34 is of cast construction, it is desirable to provide an annular notch under part 38a to give an upward tilt to the under surface and thus prevent any tendency of the water to travel radially inwardly as described above.

While I have shown and described a single embodiment of the present invention, it will, of course, be understood that many modifications and alternative constructions may be made without departing from the true spirit and scope thereof. I, therefore, intend by the appended claims to cover all modifications and alternative constructions falling within their true spirit and scope.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A flake ice making machine comprising in combination: a freezing cylinder; a rotor within the cylinder; knives on the rotor adapted to dislodge ice in flakes along an element travelling about the cylinder; and a water distributor located at the top of the cylinder and mounted on the rotor, the distributor comprising an umbrella portion sloping radially outwardly to a lip adjacent the face of the cylinder; a reservoir located towards the center of the umbrella and having a lip over which water flows onto the conical portion, the conical portion being fenced adjacent the said travelling element to arrest water flow to points near the knives.

2. A flake ice making machine comprising in combination: a freezing cylinder; a rotor within the cylinder; means on the rotor adapted to dislodge ice in flakes along an element travelling about the cylinder; a water distributor located at the top of the cylinder and mounted on the rotor, the distributor comprising an umbrella portion sloping radially outwardly to a lip adjacent the face of the cylinder and being fenced adjacent the said travelling element to arrest water flow face of the cylinder; means to distribute water over the face of the umbrella portion at points spaced from the lip; and a fence extending about the region of the element to arrest water flow to points adjacent the knives.

4. A water distributing device for a flake ice making machine of the type in which ice dislodging means on a rotor travels about the face of a freezing cylinder to dislodge ice in flakes along an element travelling about the cylinder, the device comprising: a hub portion adapted to seat on the rotor; a conical umbrella portion extending radially outwardly and downwardly to a lip adjacent the face of the cylinder; a cylindrical wall extending about the umbrella portion at points spaced from the lip and having a series of notches forming weirs; and a fence extending about the region of the element to arrest water flow to points adjacent the knives.

5. A water distributing device for a flake ice making machine of the type in which ice dislodging means on a rotor travels about the face of a freezing cylinder to dislodge ice in flakes along an element travelling about the cylinder, the device comprising: a hub portion adapted to seat on the rotor; a conical umbrella portion extending radially outwardly and downwardly to a lip adjacent the face of the cylinder; a cylindrical wall extending about the umbrella portion at points spaced from the lip, thus forming a water container from which water can overflow onto the umbrella portion; and a fence extending about the region ofthe element to arrest water flow to points adjacent the ice dislodging means.

6. A water distributing device for a flake ice making machine of the type in which ice dislodging means on a rotor travels about the face of a freezing cylinder to dislodge ice in flakes along an element travelling about the cylinder, the device comprising: a hub portion adapted to seat on the rotor; a conical umbrella portion extending radially outwardly and downwardly to a lip adjacent the face of the cylinder; a cylindrical Wall extending about the umbrella portion at points spaced from the lip, thus forming a water container from which water can overflow onto the umbrella portion, the wall having an aperture adjacent its base to permit drainage; and a fence extending about the region of the element to arrest water flow to points adjacent the ice dislodging means.

7. In a flake ice making machine, a vertical freezing cylinder of material having relatively good heat conductivity; a supporting member of relatively low heat conductivity located below the cylinder and forming a cylindrical face contiguous with the face of the freezing cylinder; means to flow water onto the freezing cylinder to form ice thereon; a rotor having ice dislodging means operable to dislodge ice in flakes along an element travelling about the cylinder; and a blade carried by the rotor and positioned to wipe the cylindrical face of the supporting member and the adjacent face of the cylinder to remove accumulated ice crystals therefrom.

8. A flake ice making machine comprising in combination: a freezing cylinder; a rotor having ice dislodging means adapted to dislodge ice in flakes along an element travelling about the cylinder as the rotor is turned; a water distributor mounted on the rotor and comprising a conical umbrella portion extending radially outwardly and downwardly to a lip closely adjacent the face of the cylinder to define a narrow annular throat; means to distribute water over theface of the umbrella portion; and a fence extending about the region of the element to arrest water flow to points adjacent the ice dislodgingmeans, and releasable elements securing the distributor for rotation with the rotor.

9. A flake ice making machine comprising in com bination: a'freezing cylinder; a rotor having ice dislodging-mcansadapted to dislodge ice in flakes along an element travellingabout the cylinder as the rotor is turned; a water distributor mounted on the rotor and comprising a conical umbrella portion extending in gradual slope radially outwardly and downwardly to its central portions and in sharper slope radially and outwardly and downwardly to a lip closely adjacent the face; means to distribute water over the face of the umbrella portion; and afence extending about the region of the element to arrest water flow to points adjacent the ice dislodging means.

10. A water distributing device for a flake ice making machine of the type in which ice dislodging means on a rotor travels about the face of a freezing cylinder to dislodge ice in flakes along an element travelling about the face thereof, the device comprising: a hub portion adapted to seat on the rotor; and a conical umbrella portion extending radially outwardly and downwardly to a lip adjacent the face of the cylinder, the umbrella portion having a window in the region of the ice dislodging means and a wall at the margins of the window.

11. A water distributing device for a flake ice making machine of the type wherein water is flowed onto the face of a freezing cylinder, the device comprising: a conical member having a major central portion of relatively small slope and a marginal portion of greater slope terminating adjacent the face of the freezing cylinder; and means to discharge water in. rivulets on the top part 015 the major portion 01.- the conical memberso that it forms a continuous sheet of water before reaching the marginal portion.

12'. A flake ice making machine comprising in com bination; a freezing cylinder; means to dislodge ice in flakes along. an element travelling about the face of the cylinder; a conical deflector mounted for rotation with the ice dislodging means and operable to deflect falling ice flakes; and a wiper fixedly positioned to traverse the face of the deflector as the deflector rotates and thereby dislodge any accumulated ice.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 758,071 Hiles Apr. 26, 1904 1,196,081 Clarence Aug. 29, 1916 1,233,673 Kinney a- July 17, 1917 1,813,604 Berge July 7, 1931 2,310,468 Short Feb. 9, 1943 2,557,252 Bannister June 19, 1951 2,585,020 Lessard Feb. 12, 1952 2,585,021 Lcssard Feb. 12, 1952 2,659,212 Lees Nov. 17, 1953 2,683,357 Albright July 13, 1954 2,712,734 Lees July 12, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,334 Great Britain -2 1881 277,785 Switzerland 1951 660,494 Germany 1938 

